Rick O'Brien, Inquirer Columnist

Posted:
Sunday, December 29, 2013, 10:02 PM

NEUMANN-GORETTI 73, CHESTER 55

Ja'Quan Newton and his Neumann-Goretti teammates were mindful of last season's disappointing showing against fellow powerhouse Chester. Fifteen turnovers spelled a lopsided loss in a nationally-televised contest.

"We kind of came into this one with a chip on our shoulder," the senior standout said of Sunday night's rematch. "We wanted to do the same thing to them that they did to us."

With Newton producing 19 points, the guard-dominated Saints, who this time shined while handling the Clippers' defensive pressure, rolled to a 73-55 triumph in the ninth annual Jameer and Pete Nelson Scholastic Play-By-Play Holiday Classic at Widener.

"We have four guards on the court a lot of times," said Newton, who will continue his career at Miami. "That's a mismatch for most teams."

In reversing last year's 58-41 defeat, N-G, which is 6-2 and ranked No. 2 in Southeastern Pennsylvania by The Inquirer, committed no turnovers in the first quarter and four in the second.

"They have experienced guys and they take care of the basketball," Chester coach Larry Yarbray said.

The No. 3-ranked Clippers (6-1) lost for the first time. "We've played teams with two or three very good players," Yarbray said. "With Neumann-Goretti, it's five, six or seven very good players.We'll get better from it."

The 6-foot-3, 185-pound Newton shot 8 for 14 from the field and 2 for 5 from the line. He added six rebounds and five first-half assists.

"I don't like when people call me a combo guard," Newton said. "I try to be a point guard who can score when needed."

"He's starting to get in better basketball shape," N-G boss Carl Arrigale said of Custis. "He's finishing down low. That's important for a big guy."

Harper, Newton, Kimble and rising freshman Quade Green each drilled first-quarter treys as the Saints built a 22-16 lead. In the second quarter, a Custis dunk off a nifty Newton feed, upped it to 33-20.

Harper's three-point play, courtesy of a steal and dish from Green, and Newton's right-side layup at the buzzer made it 41-26 at the break. The Clippers, who committed nine first-half turnovers, never recovered.